Page 10 - Boca ViewPointe- July '24

Page 10, Viewpointe July 2024
Ed Roebuck—The Fungo King

By William A. Gralnick 1949 reported to Newport News, a Class B team in the Stadium in St. Louis, cleared the roof at Pittsburgh’s
Brooklyn Dodgers chain. He had a rocky start, losing more Forbes Field, and hit the center field wall at the Polo
It’s summer and even than he won, and then it dawned on him that throwing Grounds. When the Dodgers moved to the Los Angeles
though as I write this both the ball and pitching were two different things. He went Coliseum, Roebuck tried a new challenge — hitting a
the NBA and NHL are in about learning the art of pitching spending six years in ball into the colonnaded end of the facility. Alston wasn’t
their playoffs, it’s Boys of the minors perfecting that art. In an interview for his amused and fined Roebuck $75.
Summer time. This is for induction into the Fayette County Hall of Fame, Roebuck When the architects designing the proposed Houston
those of you who were or wanted to be baseball players. estimated he pitched 400 innings in the minors! Pretty “Astrodome” asked Dodger team president Walter
For the rest of you, it’s just a nice story I came across amazing when you consider today’s pitchers who rarely O’Malley his opinion on how high to make the roof,
when doing some research. You’ll enjoy it more than pitch more than five unless they are pitching a no-hitter. Roebuck was consulted while standing in the breakfast
following this year’s edition of the Marlins. He had good years and bad years during his seven years line at the Dodgers’ spring training facility in Vero Beach.
Ever throw a ball or a stone up in the air and try to hit it with the Dodgers, three in Brooklyn and four in LA. ‘57, Roebuck estimated he could hit a fungo about 200 feet
with a stick on its way down? Difficult, no? Well, there was ‘60 and ‘62 were his best years for his ERA according to in the air. After that day’s regular workout, Roebuck
a kid in the small town of East Millsboro, Pennsylvania Baseball-Reference.com. However, he was dependable in reported to Field 4 and hit fungoes for O’Malley, who also
who was better at it than anyone around. With a bat and the clutch and as a reliever. As a rookie, he got to pitch inquired how much Roebuck had been fined by Alston
baseball, he could place the ball anywhere—on the ground in one of the World Series games in the hallowed year for his Coliseum stunt where he had hit a fungo into the
or in the air. He could hit it for distance and amazing of 1955. He was well-liked by his teammates, becoming colonnaded end of the field. Weeks later, a batboy made a
height. He could also pitch very well. This begins the closest with Gil Hodges. It was that friendship that had delivery to Roebuck on behalf of O’Malley — a bag filled
story of Edwin (Ed) Jack Roebuck, nick-named “King him accept a trade from the Dodgers to the Senators. with $75 in quarters. Credit for these stories, printed in
of the Fungoes,” born on July 3, 1931. Hodges had become the Senators’ manager. Dodger Insider goes to Mark Langill.
Roebuck had competition for this article. There was In 1962, Roebuck won his first ten decisions of A sore arm and other nagging injuries knocked him
a July shortlist that included Pee Wee Reese and Don the season and was a workhorse in the bullpen as the into retirement, but the game was in his blood. He spent
Drysdale. They were Dodger stalwarts, certainly of greater Dodgers were locked in a pennant race with the Giants. most of the rest of his life, 35 years, as a respected and
fame than Roebuck. But as a writer, how do you pass on He improved to 10-0 on Sept. 12 with 5 1/3 scoreless sought-after scout. The only thing he did longer than play
someone with that nickname especially when as a teenage innings in relief of starter Pete Richert. Roebuck finished baseball was be married. His marriage to his wife Janice
ballplayer you couldn’t hit fungoes to save your life? the season at 10-2 with an ERA of 3.09 for the 64 games lasted more than a half-century and produced three sons.
He was the youngest Roebuck and the only one of six he pitched. Not bad for a lonesome kid from a mining town who
brothers never to follow in his father’s footsteps and work Roebuck pitched 460 games in his career. He finished occupied himself by hitting stones with sticks.
in the coal mines. “My older brother wouldn’t let me.” up 52-31 with 477 strikeouts and 62 saves. His ERA was a
Roebuck said. “He thought I could do better.” This quote respectable 3.36 with a WHIP often well under the target Columnist and author Bill Gralnick was born and
from him about his signing with the Dodgers is from his of 1.7. Roebuck could also swing the bat ending his career raised in Brooklyn, NY. He is writing a three-part
induction into the Fayette County Hall of Fame. It gives with a .271 batting average with two dingers and a few humorous memoir. The first is “The War of the Itchy Balls
an idea of his early years. “We lived way back in the sticks extra-base hits. and Other Tales from Brooklyn.” Just published is the
and one day this big, black Buick comes up to the house And now the fun part. The fungo. Roebuck could toss sequel, “George Washington Didn’t Sleep Here.” Both are
and I was surprised that he got his car through all the the ball into the air and reach targets with great unerring available on Amazon. You can find his writing at https://
mud and everything. He wanted to take me to Brooklyn accuracy. He hit the eagle atop the scoreboard at Busch www.williamgralnickauthor.com. 
and my mother said you’re not taking him anywhere until
his brother okays the deal. I had five brothers and three
sisters and my one brother Joe said, ‘Go ahead, go with SUSAN
him.’” (Society of American Baseball Research)
Roebuck did do better. He signed with the Dodgers in
1949 after he graduated from Brownsville (Pennsylvania)
High School. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound right-hander in GABRIELLE

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